Lock for wardrobe trunks



Feb. 18, 1930. A, To 1,748,003

LOOK FOR WARDROBE TRUNKS Filed April 27. 1928 ATTORNEY.

.i' so i Patented Feb. 18, 1930 ROBERT A. TOTTY, F PETERSBURG, VIRGINIA LOCK FOR WARDROBE TRUNKS Application filed A ril 27,

This invention relates to improvements in locks designed primarily for wardrobe trunks employing hinged ends toform'a cover for the wardrobe section.-

In Wardrobe trunks, one end of the wardrobe section is usually held in closed position when the hinged trunk Sections are brought together and locked by the locking means for holding the trunk sections together, or a 1 separate key lock is providedv adjacent the end section, operable to lock and unlock the end by a key.

It has been found desirable to lock the end cover of the wardrobe section without the necessity of closing and locking the wardrobe and drawer sections, or operating a key to specificallylock the end section as by a separate operation, and provide automatic means for accomplishing the desiredend, without disturbing the main trunk lock.

The object therefore of the present invention is to provide a separate lockfor the end cover section of a wardrobe trunk, which may be operated wholly independent'of the closing of the wardrobe and drawer sections, and a which may be either automatically or man-ually operated.

A further object of the invention is to provide alock which will automatically lock the 39 end-cover and the front panel of a wardrobe section of a trunk. V f

The invention also comprehends improvements in the ,construct'ionand arrangement of parts, which will be hereinafter described and particularlypointed out in the claims. I In the drawings Fig. 1 is. aperspective' view of a portion of i a tru'nk'illustrating the invention j V Fig. 2 is a similar view showingthetrunk sections open. I I a Fig. 3 is a section through the'trunk'illustrating the lock. p a Fig. l is a detail section on the line '45 ofFig. 2. '9

Fig. '5 "is a detail vertical section on'line' 7 Fig.6 isa detail view of the lock bar.. -11"ig. 7is a face view ofthe lock with the housing removed.

1928. Serial No. 273,396.

Fig. 8 is a detail iew of the lookbar and the lug in the lock.

Fig. 9 is a detail perspective view'showing the lock parts separated.

To understand the operation and advan- 5 tages of the invention, it will be necessary to describe in a general way a wardrobe trunk,- and such is shown in the drawings.

1 indicates a wardrobe trunk of the general type shown in the patent to Totty, No. 1,651,- 5 64.5 dateclDecember 6, 1927 2 the wardrobe section thereof; 3 the drawer section; 4: the hinged end cover section of the wardrobe sec.- tion 2; 5 the front door or panel of the wardrobe section, and 6 the guideway in which the 8 panel 5 slides. Y

The wardrobe and drawer sections 2 and 3 are hinged together and may be locked by the usual lock 6, mounted on a fixed plate 7', secured to the wardrobe section 2. These parts form no part of the present invention per se, but are shown and described to obtain a comprehensive understanding of the improvement.

The lock comprises a cup-shaped casing 8 fixed to the rear of plate 7, and is formed with an arcuate slot '9; Housed within the compartment formed by the cup-shaped casing and the fixed plate 7, is a dished disk 10, formed with a lug 11, adjacent which is a recess 12. In a line back of thelug, the disk is formed with diametric notches 1313. A flat plate 14 lies across the face of the dished disk 10, the plate being formed with a central opening 15 and an adjacent slot 16, and at diametric edges said plate is provided with notches 17. Extending across the face of the plate 14.,- is an arched shaped plate 18, having diametric lugs 19 which fit in the notches 13 0 and 17. The ends of the lugs 19 and the'face Q of the dished disk 10 are in alignment and abut against the inner face of the casing 8. The arch-shaped plate 18 is formed with a key slot 20, which registers with the'central opening 15 and the adjacent slot 16 in plate 14.

22 indicates a key barrel, which passes through the key slot 20 in the arched plate,

and is formed at its inner end with a reduced portion 23, which fits inthe central opening 15 in plate 14. The outer end of the barrel is formed with a flanged head 24, and extending longitudinally through the barrel is a slot 25, adapted to register with a slot 26 in the wall of an opening 27 in the fixed plate 7.

A spring 28 is attached to the arch-shaped plate 18, and the casing 8, to hold the plates 14 and 18 in normal position.

When in assembled form, the plates 14 and. 18 are seated in the casing 8, and the spring 28 holds these parts in normal position, while the reduced end 23 of the barrel fits in the opening 15 and the flanged head 24 fits in the opening27inthefixedplate. Hence,when the casing 8 is riveted to the fixed plate 7 the parts are confined and held in correlation so that the lug 11 is normally held against the vertical wall 31 of the semi-circular slot 9 in the casing 8. Y

The barrel 22 is turned to bring the slots 25 and 26 into registry and a key 50 is fitted therein, the key passing through the slot 20 with the bits of said key engaging in the slot 16 and central opening 15 in the plate 14.

5 Upon partially turning the key, it engages the wall of the key slot 20, and as the lugs 19 lock the plates 14 and 18 and the disk 10 together, the lug 11 is correspondingly rotated in its slot 31 against the tension of spring 28.

So It will be understoodthat the key is provided with a notch to engage the wall of the opening 27, so that once it is turned out of regis try with the slot 26, it cannot be withdrawn without again bringing it into registry with said slot.

Pivoted at 32 on the inner side of the wardrobe trunk section 2, is a lock bar 33, the up per end of which is rounded off or tapered as at 34, and below the rounded portion, it is formed with a notch 35. Thefree rounded endof the lock bar extends beyond'the edge of the wardrobe section, as best. shown in Figs. 2 and 3. The lock bar 33 is provided with a vertical slot 36 which receives the lug 11 of the disk 10. I v

37 indicates a keeper which fits over the lock bar 33 and it is fastened to the inside of the wardrobe section; The keeper is formed with a vertical depression to provide end flanges 38 and 40, and on its face is formed a horizontal depression 41, the flange 38 being cutaway at 42 adjacent the wall of the depression. A spring 43*fits in thecutaway portion 42 and in the horizontal depresslon 41, one endof the spring abutting against the guideway 6, and the opposite end engaging over a lug 44 formed on the lock bar 33.

I The tension of the spring is such as to normally hold the lock bar against the end wall e0 40 of the keeper 37, to hold the latter in lock ing position, as will be later described.

, Adjacent the inner edge oftheend cover section 4, is an inwardly projecting flange or keeper 45, designed and so located that when I the end cover section is closed, it will be engaged under the wall of the notch 35 of the lock bar.

In operation, when the wardrobe and drawer sections and the end cover section of the trunk are closed, as'shown in Figs. 1 and 3, the keeper 45 engages in the notch 35 and locks the end cover in position, and the usual lock 6 locks the wardrobe and drawer sections together. Separate key operations'are required to actuatethe lock 6 and latch bar 33,as it is the intention to lock the panel and end cover of the wardrobe section without the necessity of closing the drawer section.

Let it be assumed the wardrobe and drawer 7 sections are open as shown in Figs. 2 and 8, and 1t 1s desired to close and lock the end cover section and the panel 5 of the wardrobe section, without closing the. drawer section. The panel is placed in the guides and the end cover is thrown down on the top of the wardrobe section. If the key in the lock was left so that the lock bar 33 was located against the guide 6, the keeper'45 on the end cover 4- would be positioned adjacentthe notch 35 when the end cover is in closed position. Now, upon turning the key 50, the lug 11, now

engaging the edge of the lock bar 33, asshown tion is of course occasioned by the spring 43 inclosed in the keeper 37 Assuming the parts to be in the position for locking as just described, or as best shown in'FigsQ. and 8. The flat. surface 11 ofthe lug 11 engages the wall ofthe slot 36 in the lock bar 33, and due to the pressure of the spring 43, the barrel and its associated parts of the lock and the key cannot turn, neither can the key be withdrawn; Consequently, in attempting to withdraw the key, the operator is warned that the parts are not locked, and it is therefore necessary to turn the key in order to eife'ct'a locking operation.

bar is perch ance left in looking position, the

"its

construction is such as to permit automatic operation of the notch and keeper of the lock. That is to say,if the lock bar 33 is in the posi- 'tion shown in Fig. 3, the end cover, if open, 8

may be closed down on the wardrobe section,

and in doin'gso,-the keeper 45 will engage the rounded end 34 of the lock bar and rock same on its pivot against the tension of spring 1 spring 28 will permit the lock elements to yield, without liability of breakage.

From the foregoing description, it will be seen that I have provided a construction which provides a convenient arrangement, whereby when the lock is operated by turning of the key, the lock bar may be held in unlocked position, but the key cannot be re- A moved; consequently, if attempt is made to remove the key, it serves as a warning that the cover has not been locked. On the other hand, the construction is such that when the lock bar is operated to release the cover, and the latter is raised, the lock bar can remain in normal position and the key withdrawn, which leaves the parts in such position that by merely closing the top, it will be automatically locked.

From the foregoing description, it will be seen that by employing the locking arrangement described, the end cover section of the trunk may be closed and automatically locked and correspondingly lock the panel, or the lock bar may be manually operated by the key to lock the parts together.

What I claim is:

1. In combination, ahinged member having a keeper, a second member over which the hinged member fits, a pivoted lock bar on the second member, said lock bar having a notch to cooperate with the keeper when the hinged member is in closed position, a key operated lug for operating the lock bar, and means associated with the lug permitting operation of same to either manually operate the lock bar to cause the keeper to interlock with the notch or automatically permit of interlocking connection between the keeper and notch whenthe hinged member is closed on the second mentioned member.

2. A look of the character described, comprising a casing formed with a slot, a rotatable member mounted in the casing and provided with a lug formed with a fiat surface and extending through the slot, means for manually rotating the member in one direction, means for automatically operating the member in the opposite direction, a pivoted lock bar provided with an elongated slot which receives the lug, and a keeper with which the lock bar'cooperates, the fiat surface of the lug engaging one wall of the elongated slot when the member is manually rotated, whereby to hold the'lock bar disengaged from the catch.

3. A lock of" the character described, comprising a casing formed with a slot, a rotatable member mounted in the casing and provided with a lug extending through the slot,

said lug having a flat side, means for manually rotating the member in one direction, a

spring for rotating the lug in the opposite direction, a pivotal lock bar with which the flat surface of the lug cooperates to hold said look bar in unlocked position, and a keeper with which the lock bar cooperates.

4. A lock of the character described, comprising a pivoted lock bar formed with a slot, a spring normally acting to hold the lock bar in looking position, a key operated lock including a lug engaging the slot in the lock bar, said lug having a fiat side and being of less width than the width of the slot, whereby when the lug is turned in the slot the fiat side will engage the wall thereof of said slot and hold the lock bar in unlocked position, or when said lock bar is in locked position the slot will permit movement of said bar independent of the lug.

5. A look of the character described, comprising a casing, a rotating member in the casing provided with a flat lug and a slot, a slotted barrel fitted between the member and the casing whereby a key may engage the slot in the member and rotate same, a spring holding the member in normal position, a pivoted lock bar having an elongated slot with which the lug engages, a spring for normally holding the lock bar in locked position, and a keeper with which the lock bar cooperates.

6. A look of the character described, comprising a lockbar spring actuated in one direction and formed with a slot, a keeper, a rotating member spring actuated in one direction and formed with a fiat lug which engages the slot to operate the lock bar in one direction in opposition to the spring, the flat lug being arranged inthe slot in the lock bar to cause disengagement of said lock bar from the keeper when the lock bar is manually operated or independent actuation of the lock bar against the tension of its spring to automatically engage the keeper.

7 A look of the character described, comprising a casing, a dished disk mounted in the casing and formed with an outwardly projecting lug and diametric notches, a plate fitted over the disk and formed with a central opening and an adjacent slot and diametric notches in registry with the notches in the disk, a second plate fitting over the first mentioned plate and formed with a key slot which overlies the opening and slot in the first mentioned plate, lugs extending from the second mentioned plate and engaging the diametric notches, a barrel formed at one end with a reduced portion which fits in the central opening in the first mentioned plate and at its opposite end with a'fianged head to engage in an opening in the frontof the casing, said barrel having a longitudinal key slot adapted to register with a notch in the wall of the opening in the front of the casing, a spring connected to one of the plates and the casing to rotate the plates and disk in one direction,

a disk mounted in the casing and having a flat lug extending through the slot, a, slotted barrel rotetively mounted between the disk and the casing, a plate mounted to turn with the disk and formed with an opening through V which the barrel passes and through which and the slot in the barrel a key is adapted to pass, a spring connected to the plate and the casing to rotate the disk in one direction, and a lock bar with which the flat lug on the disk cooperates.

In testimony whereof I afiix my'signature.

ROBERT A. TOTTY. 

